*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****
Dear Chuck,
The American Medical Association does not "classify" illnesses serious or otherwise. Mental illnesses are classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR) published by the American Psychiatric Association.
ABC News Medical Unit
Note: Top medical experts on autism answer questions like these on the ABC News OnCall+ Autism site: http://abcnews.com/autism .